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Soho Road Handsworth

A postcard view dated 1953. The road to the left is Murdock Road. Some of the buildings are still there including the Red Lion pub, the building that was, in 1953, Boots the Chemist (with the gable) and the one next to it that was the Co-op (striped brickwork). The garage petrol pumps next to the Red Lion have, of course, gone. Wonder if there’s a ghost sign of “Cafe” underneath the billboard above the nail bar ? Viv.

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I love the pics Viv, I prefer the old one, think must be post war, with all the prams for the baby boomers, it looks as I remember it, clean, functional, cosy. Think the new one looks harsh, no soul. Paul
 
Vivienne14 said:
A postcard view dated 1953. The road to the left is Murdock Road. Some of the buildings are still there including the Red Lion pub, the building that was, in 1953, Boots the Chemist (with the gable) and the one next to it that was the Co-op (striped brickwork). The garage petrol pumps next to the Red Lion have, of course, gone. Wonder if there’s a ghost sign of “Cafe” underneath the billboard above the nail bar ? Viv.

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And next to the COOP on the left was a greengrocers, next to that was WT Bakers, butchers where is used to work after school. Also helped out at the one in Perry Barr.
 
Lovely memories,where Boots was on the corner when i left school in the sixties it was a shoe shop,that was my first job.Soho Road always brings such happy memories.
 
Vivienne14 said:
A postcard view dated 1953. The road to the left is Murdock Road. Some of the buildings are still there including the Red Lion pub, the building that was, in 1953, Boots the Chemist (with the gable) and the one next to it that was the Co-op (striped brickwork). The garage petrol pumps next to the Red Lion have, of course, gone. Wonder if there’s a ghost sign of “Cafe” underneath the billboard above the nail bar ? Viv.

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Dated 1949 - viewed from opposite angle. Taken from Birmingham Mail Aug 2014 article on Handsworth Nostalgia.
www.birminghammail.co.uk

Handsworth nostalgia

www.birminghammail.co.uk www.birminghammail.co.uk
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Jayell said:
Richard, was the butchers called Tibbetts?
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No Jayelle, it was WT Baker but Tibbetts I believe was close by. In fact our manager or assistant would take there whites off and walk by to see how there winds display looked. In those days that was a big selling point along with the white lettering that I had to take off every nights!
 
I am absolutely sure that the photo in #582, is of my father, PC Harry Stacey C Division, Birmingham City Police, he lived at 112a Vicarage Rd, Handsworth, and he often told me of traffic duty on Soho Road. He was 6' 2", and thin as a rake, blue eyes fair hair. I wish he was still with us so I could show him. Paul
 
oh wow paul...what a find for you...i am sure you have gone through all of this long thread but if not it could be an idea as you never know when your dad may show up again

lyn
 
Yes Lyn, it was sad really, he was badly wounded at SALERNO 1943, and spent 15 months in a US military hospital, it had a long term effect on him and he left the Police in the early 50's. He was a great dad .miss him still loads, after 24 years since his passing. Paul
 
paul stacey said:
I am absolutely sure that the photo in #582, is of my father, PC Harry Stacey C Division, Birmingham City Police, he lived at 112a Vicarage Rd, Handsworth, and he often told me of traffic duty on Soho Road. He was 6' 2", and thin as a rake, blue eyes fair hair. I wish he was still with us so I could show him. Paul
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I have this photo at a slightly higher resolution/larger size than in #582
red-lion-hansworth-in-1949.jpg
 
Richarddye said:
No Jayelle, it was WT Baker but Tibbetts I believe was close by. In fact our manager or assistant would take there whites off and walk by to see how there winds display looked. In those days that was a big selling point along with the white lettering that I had to take off every nights!
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Thanks Richard.
 
paul stacey said:
My Dear cousin Pamela Holland, ( PAMHOL), who is a member of this forum, and was born and lived all her young life in Vicarage Road , Handsworth, has sadly passed away after a short illness, I thought the fprum should know, ut did't know where to post it. Paul
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So very sorry to hear the sad news about Pamela. I lived in Soho Avenue just round the corner from Vicarage Road and remember your family as I was always in Vicarage Road playing with friends I think that Pam went to the same school as me, although she was younger. My sincere condolences to all the family.
Judy
 
paul stacey said:
My Dear cousin Pamela Holland, ( PAMHOL), who is a member of this forum, and was born and lived all her young life in Vicarage Road , Handsworth, has sadly passed away after a short illness, I thought the fprum should know, ut did't know where to post it. Paul
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hi paul so very sorry to hear that your cousin pamela has recently passed away...sincere condolences to all of the family...take care

lyn x
 
Richard Ross said:
This photo takes me back! I went to Handsworth Grammar just around the corner on Grove Lane and was caught playing snooker in the snooker hall by the headmaster when I should have been in school. The snooker hall was just up from the junction on the left on Soho Road. This was truly a memory that hurt!
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The head obviously didn't want you seeing HIM setting up shots on the green baize.

I remember there was a snooker hall, but it was way before my time at the grammar.
 
Jayell said:
Great pic Lyn. I used to walk up Soho Road regularly when young as we used to live just further down the road in Soho Avenue which was on Soho Hill. I used to go to the Nineveh Dance Studios which were on the left hand side of this photo, and situated on the corner of Nineveh and Soho Road. This was after trams ran along Soho Road though!! I wonder what date this picture would have been taken? Also used the swimming baths in Grove Lane every week with school and then on Sunday mornings to meet friends. The No.70 Oxhill Road bus used to go down Grove Lane.

Judy
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Hi Judy, I used to go to the Nineveh Dance Studio every Friday night to learn how to dance in the early 60's. When did you go?
 
Big Gee said:
Blimey, I remember that place! I think it was the Elasona. When I was working in that horrible sports shop I sometimes had someone in on a Saturday to help out, in which case I'd go either to The Woodlands or The Elasona for a break. Vanilla Fudge...now there's a name to conjour with... I do remember that someone always played 'Little Arrows' by Leapy Lee on that juke-box. It's been stuck in my brain for nearly 45 years!

G
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My childhood friend Anne went out with the son of the proprietor of the Elasonia Greek Restaurant in the early 1960's. They had a son together in 1964 but it did not work out and they parted.
She died recently and it brought it all back. Sad times.
 
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